This marks their initial encounter at Wembley Stadium since 1995.
England is set to host Uruguay at Wembley, an event occurring for the first time in over twenty years, as they intensify their preparations for the upcoming World Cup. A multitude of athletes are vying to solidify their inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s roster for the expedition to North America.
The first of two exhibition matches for the Three Lions, preceding the announcement of Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad, will unfold almost 21 years to the exact day since La Celeste played to a goalless draw, 0-0, at the stronghold of English football during their last visit.
While that particular game was largely unremarkable, England supporters harbor bitter recollections of their most recent confrontation with Uruguay: a 2-1 defeat during the 2014 World Cup, which resulted in Roy Hodgson’s team being eliminated in the group phase.
A few players who participated in that fixture in São Paulo are still present among the current England and Uruguay squads. Jordan Henderson continues to occupy a position among England’s midfielders, while Fernando Muslera is one of the trio of goalkeepers selected for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay team.
However, this specific match will lack the intensity of that captivating rivalry, ultimately decided by a late goal from Luis Suarez. Tuchel’s primary objective here is to assess those individuals whose spot on the plane for the World Cup remains uncertain.
Tuchel assembled a 35-player squad for this match and the subsequent friendly against Japan. Nevertheless, eleven of the chosen players will only join the team after the Uruguay game, and several members currently in the camp are scheduled to depart before the encounter with Japan.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson, along with central defenders Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, and Ezri Konsa, as well as Manchester City’s EFL Cup-winning standout Nico O’Reilly, have all been granted a period of rest. Similarly, midfielders Elliott Anderson and Declan Rice are also absent. Further up the pitch, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, and the team’s star player Harry Kane will also not report until after Friday’s competition.
Given that England is expected to field a significantly altered lineup, Uruguay might view this challenge as an opportunity to revive a positive atmosphere within their camp and erase the memory of their recent 5-1 loss to the United States.
Uruguay is poised to participate in their fifth consecutive World Cup. Their final exhibition match before Bielsa announces his squad will take place against Algeria in Torino on Tuesday.
The star midfielder, Federico Valverde, did not feature in that humiliating defeat against the USA, and he is anticipated to be one of Uruguay’s key threats as they strive to become the inaugural team to conquer Tuchel’s England at Wembley, a venue where the Three Lions have remained undefeated since a surprising October 2024 loss to Greece in the UEFA Nations League.
Squad information for England vs. Uruguay
With eleven members of the probable World Cup squad omitted from this fixture, the England side taking the pitch at Wembley will appear markedly different.
Jordan Pickford could lead the team as captain in goal, while either Tino Livramento or Djed Spence is a likely candidate for right-back. It would be astonishing if Livramento’s Newcastle United colleague, Lewis Hall, does not commence play at left-back. In the central defense, Harry Maguire, John Stones, and Fiyako Tomori will be hoping for an opportunity to make a strong impression.
Both Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are eyeing the number 10 position in Rogers’ absence, although Jude Bellingham could also potentially start in that role.
Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke, and Jarrod Bowen are contending for playing time on the flanks, given that Saka and Gordon are being rested. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to be the prime candidate to lead the attack in place of Kane.
Uruguay will be without Rodrigo Bentancur as the Tottenham midfielder continues his recovery from hamstring surgery. Nevertheless, Marcelo Bielsa’s squad will feature many familiar faces, with Real Madrid’s Valverde and Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte anticipated to operate in the central midfield.
Former Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez is projected to spearhead Uruguay’s offensive line.
Anticipated Starting Elevens for England vs. Uruguay
England: Pickford; Livramento, Maguire, Stones, Hall; Wharton, Mainoo; Madueke, Palmer, Rashford; Calvert-Lewin.
Uruguay: Rochet; Varela, Gimenez, R. Araujo, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, De Arrascaeta; Pellistri, Nunez, M. Araujo.
Viewing Options for England vs. Uruguay: Television and Digital Broadcasts
England versus Uruguay will commence at 7:45pm UK time on Friday. The match will be aired on ITV 1 and can be streamed online via ITV X. Sky subscribers also have the option to stream the game through Sky Go.
Key Statistics for England vs. Uruguay
- This marks the first confrontation between England and Uruguay since the 2014 World Cup, where the Three Lions suffered a 2-1 defeat and were eliminated from the competition under manager Roy Hodgson. England possesses merely a 27% victory rate against them (P11 W3), only having a lower percentage against Brazil (15%, P27 W4) and Romania (25%, P12 W3) among nations they have encountered ten or more times.
- Two out of the four preceding matches between England and Uruguay at Wembley have concluded in goalless draws, specifically during the 1966 World Cup and a 1995 friendly. They are one of only three nations against whom England has drawn more than one game 0-0 at Wembley, alongside Wales (3) and Sweden (2).
- England has secured victories in two of their last eleven matches against South American teams (D5 L4), defeating Brazil in February 2013 and Peru in May 2014. They have been without a win in five games since that victory over Peru (D3 L2).
- England has maintained a clean sheet in eleven of their last twelve fixtures, including the most recent six consecutively since a 3-1 loss to Senegal in June 2025. Achieving another clean sheet in this game would equal the Three Lions’ record for consecutive shutouts set in June/July 2021, a sequence of seven.
- Uruguay was defeated in their most recent match, suffering a 5-1 loss to the USA. They have not experienced consecutive losses since a run of four defeats in October/November 2021, which encompassed their final four games under Oscar Tabárez.
- Bielsa will oversee his third match against England – he played to a 0-0 draw at Wembley in February 2000 and lost 1-0 at the 2002 World Cup while managing Argentina. This game will occur 26 years and 32 days after his last appearance at Wembley, establishing a record for a manager in matches against England – Bernd Stange currently holds the record (25 years and 32 days, Sept 1984 with East Germany – Oct 2009 with Belarus).
Match Forecast for England vs. Uruguay
This match primarily serves as an evaluation opportunity for England players striving to earn a place in the World Cup squad. Despite the absence of some regular starters, the Three Lions are still anticipated to possess sufficient quality to secure a victory.
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